1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shuck for drying a paintbrush. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved shuck for drying a paintbrush.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for paint brush covers have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,448 to Switzer teaches a readily openable, closable and sealable plastic bag that provides an elongated pouch which enables a user to hang and store a wet paint brush therein for daysxe2x80x94weeks if necessary. The mouth of the bag embodies quick separable and connectable top and bottom flaps. The top flap is provided with an elongated plaint male keying rib which snaps into a yieldable female keeper groove. When the rib is snapped into the groove the brush storing pouch is airtight. An eye fixed in one end of the bag permits hanging the bag on a fixed nail. This eye is provided with a brush hanging wire which has a hook to suspend the apertured end of the brush handle. The narrow rib-equipped-flap has a red marker strip bordering its free edge. Life the xe2x80x9credxe2x80x9d flap to open the bag and press the rib into the groove to close and seal the bag. The wet brush is preserved for ready re-use whenever necessary or desired.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,399 to Crouch teaches an apparatus for holding and storing a paint brush. A variety of embodiments include a box assembly having a V-shaped interior wall to complementarily receive the bristled end of a paint brush. The box assembly includes an opening through which the handle of the paint brush projects. In one embodiment, the box assembly includes an inner box slidably mounted within an outer box. The V-shaped wall is an insert which is positionable within the inner box along with the paint brush. Slots in both boxes allow the paint brush handle to project externally of the assembly. Flanges on the insert limit relative movement of the paint brush and insert relative to the boxes. In another embodiment, the insert is centered in a V-shaped groove provided on a cap mountable to a box. In another embodiment, the insert is positionable within a,box having the hinged lid with a V-shaped groove provided thereon to center the insert. In another embodiment, the V-shaped wall includes a pair of walls fixedly mounted respectively to an inner and outer box with the walls converging, when the inner box is positioned within the outer box.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,939 to Derencsenyi et al. teaches a sleeve device for protecting paintbrushes during soaking and storage that comprises a resilient, generally rectangular body portion, having front and back faces, left and right sides, and a bottom opening, dimensioned to receive the brush stock and bristles; a neck portion having front and back faces continuous with the body portion""s front and back faces, dimensioned to receive the brush handle; a shoulder region connecting the top of the body portion with the neck portion; and friction/elastic-retaining means for releasably engaging the brush stock, brush handle, or both. The friction/elastic-retaining means preferably comprise internally-projecting ridges positioned on the left and right sides of the body portion and oriented parallel to the left and right sides, where the ridges exhibit a maximal intrusion near the shoulder region of the left and right faces, and decline to a minimal intrusion near the bottom opening.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,553 to Curtis teaches a container for a paint brush, which container comprises a body and a lid, the body having a base and a walled portion which upstands from the base, the lid having an aperture through which a handle of the paint brush passes and slits which extend from the aperture and which enables parts of the lid defining the aperture to grip the handle of the paint brush, and the walled portion of the body having an inwardly projecting integrally formed shelf portion on which to rest the paint brush, and integrally formed ribs which extend parallel to the base and which are for wiping excess paint from the paint brush.
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,453 to Landmeier teaches a paint brush protective cover for protecting the bristles of a paint brush comprising a flexible cover and a hard cover. The flexible cover further comprising a plurality of flaps that are wrapped around the bristles of the paint brush and secured together. The flexible cover further comprising a plurality of vent openings and a handle opening to allow a paint brush handle to be inserted therein. After the flexible cover is installed over the bristles of the paint brush, a hard cover is slipped over the flexible cover and locked in place by a top lid to complete the task.
A SIXTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,363 to Wilson teaches a container for temporarily holding and storing a wet paintbrush that will maintain the paintbrush in a useful condition for a limited period of time up to several days. The container has the shape, substantially rectangular box. The container is formed from two shallow, rectangular members that are hingedly attached to each other along respective longitudinal edges of the rectangular members. The two shallow members open so as to allow positioning a paintbrush therein, and the shallow members can be closed upon each in clam shell fashion to close the container. An opening is provided in the top wall of the container to allow the handle of a paintbrush to extend from the container. Each shallow member has a layer of closed cell foam material positioned along the inside of the upper wall of the shallow member. The layers of closed cell foam material seal around the handle of a paintbrush when the shallow members move to their closed position with the handle of the paintbrush extending from the opening in the top wall of the container. A layer of open cell foam material is provided along the inside surface of the lower wall of each shallow member. The layers of open cell foam material absorb paint drippings from the paintbrush. The layers of open cell foam material can also contain a small amount of solvent for the paint.
A SEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,489 to Baker teaches a paintbrush case that has a selection of paintbrushes hanging with brush handles and having sides that open downwardly to reveal brush bristles and to provide convenient access while the case stands reliably where positioned. Air vents in tops and bottoms of the case aid drying of the brushes after they have been cleaned and prevent buildup of expanded gases from paint. In addition to convenience and efficiency for professional and do-it-yourself painters alike, a major use of this paintbrush case is keeping track of and caring for paintbrushes at construction sites.
The configuration of a prior art shuck 10 for drying a paintbrush 12 having bristles 14, a stock 16, and a handle 18, of which the present invention is an improvement of, can best be seen in FIGS. 1-3, and as such, will be discussed with reference thereto.
The shuck 10 is sold by SHERWIN-WILLIAMS(R) of the Sherwin Williams Company of Cleveland, Ohio 44101.
The shuck 10 comprises a back panel 20 being rectangular-shaped and having a pair of long side edges 22 being straight, a short bottom edge 24 being straight and shorter than each of the pair of long side edges 22 thereof, and a short top edge 25 being free, straight, and shorter than each of the pair of long side edges 22 thereof.
The shuck 10 further comprises a bottom panel 26 being rectangular-shaped and having a long inner edge 28 being straight and coincident with, and forming a fold line with, the short bottom edge 24 of the back panel 20 thereof so as to allow, the bottom panel 26 thereof to fold perpendicularly forwardly from the back panel 20 thereof, a long outer edge 30 being straight, and a pair of short side edges 31 being free and shorter than the long outer edge 30 of the bottom panel 26 thereof.
The shuck 10 further comprises a front panel 32 being rectangular-shaped and having a pair of long side edges 33 being free and straight, a short bottom edge 34 being straight, shorter than each of the pair of long side edges 33 thereof, and coincident with, and forming a fold line with, the long outer edge 30 of the bottom panel 26 thereof so as to allow the front panel 32 thereof to fold perpendicularly upwardly from the bottom panel 26 thereof, and a short top edge 36 being free and straight.
The shuck 10 further comprises a pair of side panels 38, each of which being isosceles triangular-shaped and truncated.
Each side panel 32 having a first leg 40 being straight and coincident with, and forming a fold line with, an associated long side edge 22 of the back panel 20 so as to allow the pair of side panels 38 to fold perpendicularly forwardly from the back panel 20, a second leg 42 being straight, a base 44 being free, straight, and extending continuously from the short top edge 25 of the back panel 20, and a truncated apex 46 being free, straight, and extending continuously from the short bottom edge 24 of the back panel 20.
The shuck 10 further comprises a pair of front flaps 48, each of which being rectangular-shaped.
Each front flap 48 having a long inner edge 50 being straight and coincident with, and forming a fold line with, the second leg 42 of an associated side panel 38 so as to allow the pair of front flaps 48 to fold perpendicularly inwardly from the pair of side panels 38 and overlap each other under the front panel 32 so as to form therewith a chamber 51 with an open top 53 for capturing the bristles 14 and the stock 16 of the paintbrush 12 therein while allowing the handle 18 of the paintbrush 12 to extend upwardly through the open top 53 thereof.
Each front flap 48 further having a long outer edge 52 being free and straight, a top short edge 54 being free, straight, shorter than the long outer edge 52 thereof, and extending continuously from the base 44 of an associated side panel 38, and a short bottom edge 56 being free, straight, shorter than the long outer edge 52 thereof, and extending continuously from the apex 46 of an associated side panel 38.
The shuck 10 further comprises a fastener 58 associated with at least the front panel 32, and when fastened, maintains the paintbrush 12 in the shuck 10.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for paint brush covers have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.
ACCORDINGLY, AN OBJECT of the present invention is to provide an improved shuck for drying a paintbrush that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide an improved shuck for drying a paintbrush that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
STILL ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide an improved shuck for drying a paintbrush that is simple to use.
BRIEFLY STATED, STILL YET ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide an improved shuck for drying a paintbrush of the type having a back panel, a bottom panel, a front panel, a pair of side panels, and a pair of front flaps together defining a chamber having an, open top, and a fastener The improvement includes each of the back panel, the front panel, the pair of side panels, and the pair of front flaps having an air-permeable screen mesh portion for facilitating the drying of the paintbrush. The improvement further includes a top flap having a top portion selectively closing the open top of the chamber and a front portion. The improvement further includes the fastener being a snap having a male portion extending from the front portion of the top flap and a female portion extending from the front,panel and selectively engaging the male portion of the snap.